Regional News

Randy Abbey did not influence #Number12 - Anas

Date: Jun 28 , 2018 , 11:19

BY: Kweku Zurek

Category: Politics

Randy Abbey did not inspire /sponsor #Number12 - Anas

Controversial investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas has distanced the production of his explosive undercover #Number12 documentary on corruption in football from former Ghana Football Association (GFA) spokesperson Randy Abbey.

Mr Abbey during his time at the GFA served in various capacities as an Executive Committee member, Referees Appointment Committee Chairman and Black Meteors management committee chairman but became an avowed critic of Nyantakyi's erstwhile administration when he left the GFA.

In May this year, in an interview with Accra FM, he called for a change in the leadership of the GFA because according to him, the Nyantakyi-led regime was bereft of ideas on how to improve football in the country.

Mr Abbey has been described as a 'shadow editor' of Anas by the Editor-In-Chief of the New Crusading Guide, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, which has also fuelled speculation that he may have inspired the probe into Ghanaian football.

Outspoken Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong has led the allegations that Mr Abbey was the brain behind Anas' #Number 12 documentary which he (Mr Agyapong) claims is targeted at destroying the administration and legacy of ex-FA president Kwesi Nyantakyi.

However, Anas in an interview on Joy FM Thursday admitted that they are friends but insisted that Mr Abbey did not have any idea about the #Number12 investigations till it was on the verge of being released.

He said "Look, Randy (Abbey) is my friend. He will forever remain my friend, look I don't give up on old friends. Look the life I lead, I can't explain to you, I can only stick to my own friends. Look, Randy never got to know about this story till the last end of it when the story was coming out. How would Randy sponsor me, to do what? You understand.

"Of course, I knew that he had deep knowledge in football but because I didn't want to taint and colour and raise people's expectations. Look, we don't set out to do an investigation knowing what the outcome will be, we hope and anticipate that well, this story that we are doing it will be big.

"There are many stories we do, sometimes we don't achieve it, other times we do. So I couldn't have gone raising Randy Abbey's hopes when I didn't know what was going to come up".